Some Gifts You Just Can't Return
by Pixieblade
Summary: A very happy and belated birthday to our wonderful Sanzo-sama or Cherry-chan, depending on who you ask . *


**Some Gifts You Just Can't Return**

Saiyuki AU

SanzoxGoku (39)

T

It wasn't like him and no, he didn't know what the hell he was thinking, giving him something like this. Really, Goku got stranger by the day. He flipped the card over again, a weary sigh pulled from his lips teasingly like the gentle breeze toying with the feather light wisps of sun streaked golden hair hanging too long around his ears. He needed a trim. Maybe he could talk Hakkai into doing it later. _After_.

Another flip of a finely boned wrist and small shake of his head, no, he really didn't know what had gotten into that monkey-brained idiot. Well, it wasn't like he didn't know, not really, but he still wasn't going to say it. Not out loud where just anybody could hear him anyways.

Glancing at the wall clock by the front door he ran long fingers through his hair once more and stood languidly, the joints in his knees and back popping loudly in the quiet as he stretched, twisting his shoulders and hips, and then did it again in the opposite direction to get the stubborn ones. He knew from long experience that he needed to be as flexible and calm as possible or he'd have a pounding migraine shooting behind his eyes and his shoulders would be bunched up around his ears come tomorrow morning. He rolled his shoulders once more before grabbing his bag and tossing the leather satchel over his shoulder. It was just about time.

His fingers on the doorknob twitched in time to the crunch of gravel under combat boots; a most annoying and very well known sound. They twitched again as the door was wrenched roughly from their light grasp and yanked out into the horrid glare of a post shower downpour. Sunlight streamed in uninvited, blinding him almost as much as those golden eyes and copper skin. Almost.

"SANZO!! Ya ready to go to the arcade? You have our tickets, right?" Goku bounded up to him, eyes bright and shiny, nose and cheeks flush from running up the drive.

He grimaced at the boy, who just smiled brighter, and shoved him back out onto the porch, his keys clinking together lightly, the little plastic pig and kappa (stupid prizes from the claw game) thwacking together as he turned the lock.

"So, we've got like an hour before our turn in the laser tag parlor, wanna grab something to eat?" Goku bounced along beside him eagerly ticking off places as they walked the few blocks to the arcade center, "There's Ming's Thai, the Kwon's Ramen shop, McD's if you're not too hungry, or the street vendors…"

Sanzo resisted the urge, just this once and only because he was feeling majorly generous, to slap the brat upside the head as he glanced back and veritably sparkled up at him, fingers locked behind his head, "Then again we could always go to that coffee parlor up on A street. You like their Forbidden Black Jasmine Tea, right? They don't serve food, but if it's today…."

He tried not to huff too heavily as Goku's steps faltered during his prolonged silence, bringing the youth up beside him, their sides brushing against each other as they walked. As they passed through the alley between C and B streets (of course he'd go to the coffee shop) he turned suddenly and pinned Goku against the wall, his lips crashing down upon the shorter boy's with a scorching ferocity. For a heartbeat only they forgot what breathing was, tangled together, the cool brick crumbling under the quick onslaught of their bodies pressed flush against each other and the rust colored façade.

Staring up at the abrupt departure of warmth, Goku grinned shyly, then more broadly as Sanzo tucked a stray strand of spun gold primly behind his ear. After that Sanzo did cuff him smartly upside his head, but the boy never stopped smiling. And as they drank their tea and then donned their armor for the game Goku managed a sly lick up and over the cuff of Sanzo's ear, a whispered, "Happy birthday," for his lover's ears only.

Needless to say Sanzo shot him about as much as he shot anyone else that game. Well, he mused between shots, it wasn't really that bad of a way to spend the day. Not really.

~Fin.


End file.
